Grain-car.



G. R. DUNN.

GRAIN CAR.-v

nrmouxon rum) MAR.18, 190a. 909,565. Patented Jan. 12, 1909. 2 I a SHEETS-SHEET 1. Q 2 W t v 5 v 4 G. R. DUNN.

GRAIN GAB.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1908.

909,565. Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

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GRAIN GAB.

APPLICATION nun MAR. 1a, was.

909,565. Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

GEORGE R. DUNN, OF WHITING, INDIANAASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES DENT, OF

DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

Sp ecification of Letters Patent.

GRAIN-CAR.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. DUNN, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vhiting, county of Lake, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to freight cars and particularly to that class of freight cars used for transporting grain and known as grain cars.

The usual form of grain car now in use having a hopper bottom and a discharge device is unsatisfactory inasmuch as considerable grain is lost when moving the same by leakage of the car.

The object of my invention is to provide a grain car having a hopper bottom and a discharge device in said bottom, which shall be perfectly tight and absolutely prevent the leakage of grain therefrom during transportation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a grain car as mentioned which shall be well ventilated and which shall keep the grain well protected from the weather.

A further object of my invention is to provide a grain car as mentioned equipped with a discharge device which may be readily and quickly operated and provided with an indicator whereby the operator may determine when the device is fully opened or closed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a grain car having a discharge device and indicator as mentioned, and provided with means for locking said device against operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a grain car having side doors or windows for filling the same and equipped with means for closing .said doors or windows to prevent egress of grain or ingress of moisture.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grain car embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line a20c of Fig. 1 upon an enlarged scale, Fig. 3 is a section on the line 1 g of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the discharge mechanism indicator, Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 22 of Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is a similar section on the line w-w of the same figure, Fig. 7 is a detail View in vertical section of one of the side or filling windows, Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on substantially the line v'v of Fig. 2 and Fig. 9 is a horizontal section throughone of the filling windows with the chute in place. v

The car comprises a box-like body of which 11 indicate the sides, 2 the ends and 3 the roof supported by the transverse members or carlines 4. The bottom of the car is hopper shaped and comprises the inclined end members 55 and the inclined side members 66 converging at the center of the car.

77' indicate ventilators which are preferably arranged in the ends 2 of the car and below the eaves.

Arranged in the bottom of the car and at the center thereof where the members 5 and 6 converge is the discharge device. This comprises a cylindrical member 8 rigidly and vertically fixed within the hoppershaped bottom and having the discharge openings 9 in the front and rear walls thereof. The bottom 10 of the openings 9 are flush with the lower edges of the inclined ends 5 and the inclined members 5 and 6 direct the grain to the discharge openings,

wedge shaped members 11 being provided between the side members 6 and the side walls of the member 8 to prevent grain from lodging therebetween. The top or roof of the member 8 is cone shaped as indicated at 12 to prevent grain from remaining thereon. Fitting snugly within the cylinder 8 and rotatably mounted therein is a cylinder 14: having openings 15 which in one position register with the openings 9 in the cylinder 8 and in another position securely close the same. The means for turning the cylinder 14 will be described hereinafter.

The cylinder 8 extends a short distance below the bottom 13 of the car and is provided at its lower end with an annular flange 16 upon which is rotatably mounted a chute 17. The chute 17 is provided with a flange 18 which is shouldered as at 19 to receive the flange 16. Bolted or riveted to the annular flange 18 are a pair of segmental plates 20 which rest upon the flange 16 and hold the chute in place. By turning the chute the grain may be discharged in any desired direction. 21 is an extension member on the chute hingedly connected thereto as at 22. The extensio may turndown; wardly until the upper wall 23 contacts the edge 24 of the main portion 17 which is ex der 8 below the bottom. 13' and above the plates 20. Pivotally mounted as at 28 is a horizontally disposed arm or lever 29, the long arm of which is provided with a segmental gear 30 meshing with the rack 26 on the cylinder 14, and the short arm being formed with a segmental gear 31 meshing with the worm 32 on a shaft 33 extending transversely of the car and beneath the same. Upon one end of the shaft 33 is a crank 34?. It is obvious that by turning the crank the cylinder 14 will be rotated to open or close the discharge openings 9 and 15.

Suitable means must be provided whereby the operator can determine when the discharge device is open or closed and to this end I provide the following indicator. 35 indicates a pinion fixed to the shaft 33 and meshing with a segmental gear 36 formed upon the periphery of a disk 37, the disk being rotatably mounted as at 38 upon the side 1 of the car and adjacent to the operating crank 34. The disk 37 is provided with a segmental slot 39 through which extends a staple 40 from the side 1 of the car and forming a stop to limit the movement of' the crank 34, hence of the discharge device. The slot 39 is so proportioned that when one end thereof engages the stop 40 the dis charge device is in closed position, and when the other end engages the same it is in openedposition. To lock the discharge device in closed position to hasp 41 is fixed to the staple 40 and the disk 37 is provided with an eye 42. When the device is in closed position the haspis placed over the eye and an ordinary car seal 43 is passed through the eye to lock the device.

Each of the sides 1 is provided with an opening 44 through which the grain is loaded into the car. These are small rectangular openings or doorways arranged midway of the lengih of the car and above the upper edge of the inclined members 6. Each of the openings 44 is closed by an inner door 45' and an outer closure 46. The door 45 is hingedlymountedon a rod 47 extending hori- I of the wall 1 forming a flange 49 and the door 45 is provided with a peripheral flange 50 which closes tightly around the flange 49 when the door is closed. This is especially useful when the car is to be well filled, that is when the grain is to extend above the level of said doors. In this case when filling the car, the door upon one side is closed and the grain which is loaded through the other door may be piled against the closed door as indicated by the dotted line 51 in Fig. 2.. After which the' door through which the car was loaded is closed and the motion of the car will level the'grain therein. The grain then being piled against both doors it is practically impossible to open them, the only exit for the grain then being through the discharge device hereinbefore described. To open the door 45 and hold the same in raised pos tion when desired 1', provide the following device. of the door casing upon a stud 53 is apinion 52 which meshes with a pinion 54 fixed to the door 45. Secured to the pinion 52 is an arm or lever 55. By pulling the arm 55 outwardly as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 7 it is obvious that the door will be raised. The head of the stud 53 is notched as at 56 and the lever 55 is provided with a spring pressed member 57 for engag ing said notches to hold the door in raised position.

The outer closure comprises a vertically slidable door 46 adapted to slide up under the roof of the car toopened position and constitutingwhen in closed position means for excluding the rain or other moisture from entering around the door and also means for locking the car. The door 46 is formed of a plurality of'horizontal strips 58, flexibly connected and having their adjacent edges overlapping as shown clearly in Fig 7. The ends of the strips 58 are arranged in grooves 59 in the sides of the door casing and the grooves are curved upwardly and inwardly as at 60, terminating in the substantially horizontal grooves 61 in the parallel frames or carlines 4. The door 46 is provided with a pairof counter-balance weights 62 each of which is connected to its respective side of the door by the weight cords 63. The cords 63 follow substantially the course of the grooves 596061- to substantially the center of the car where they pass around rollers 64 arranged in the passageways 65 extending transversely through the carlines and thence down the opposite sides of the carlines to the rollers 66 at the side of the car, the weights being arranged in vertical recesses or wells 67in the sides of the car.

When the door 46 is closed its lower edge rests on the sill 68 which is somewhat below Rotatably mounted upon the side,

end of the door is secured a hasp 69 having an elongated slot 70 to receive a turn-hook 71. When the hook 71 is turned up in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7 the hasp may readily pass over the same but when the hook is turned down as shown in full lines in the same figure it is impossible to release the hasp to unlock the door. The end of the hook 71 is provided with an eye 72 which registers with an eye 73 secured to the side of the car, when in locking position, and an ordinary car seal 7A is employed to secure the hook in locking position.

Hingedly mounted to the side of each of the door openings is a chute 75 which may be swung into the door opening when the doors are opened to facilitate filling the car. The chute comprises the bottom 7 6 arranged at a height slightly above the bottom of the door casing and the curved or semi-cylindrical side member 77. hen the chute is swung into operative position it extends through the doorway and a short distance outside of the car with its open side inward, as illustrated in Fig. 9. A spring latch 79 maintains it in position. lVhen the chute is not in use it swings within the car as illustrated in dotted lines in the same figure and the spring latch 79 by engaging the stop 80 holds it in position at such times.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A grain car comprising a box-like body having a hopper bottom, in combination with a discharge device arranged at the lowest point of said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom into said car body, said discharge device comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical member having a discharge opening, a similar cylinder arranged concentric with the first and having a discharge opening adapted to register with the former in one position and to close the same in another position, and means for turning one of said cylinders as and for the purpose specified.

2. A grain car comprising a box-like body having a hopper bottom, in combination with an upwardly extending discharge device arranged at the lowest point of said bottom and comprising a pair of cylindrical members arranged vertically within the car and fitting snugly one within the other and means for rotating the inner cylinder, said cylinders each being provided with a discharge opening, as and for the purpose specified.

3. A grain car comprising a box-like body having a hopper bottom, in combination with a discharge device arranged at the lowest point of said bottom and comprising a pair of cylindrical members each having a discharge opening, of said members to open or close said discharge openings and an indicator for determining the opened and closed positions of said discharge device, substantially as described.

4. A grain car comprising a box-like body having a hopper bottom, in combination with a discharge device arranged at the lowest point of said bottom and comprising a pair of cylindrical members each having a discharge opening, means for rotating one of said members to open or close said discharge openings, an indicator connected therewith, and means for locking said indicator to prevent opening said discharge de vice, substantially as described.

5. A grain car comprising a box-like body having a hopper bottom, consisting of the inclined sides and inclined ends, in combination with a discharge device arranged at the point of convergence of said sides and ends, said discharge device comprising a stationary cylindrical member extending vertically upward from said bottom and having a pair of discharge openings, the bottom of said discharge openings being flush with the bottom edge of said ends, wedge like members arranged between said inclined sides and the sides of said cylindrical member, and means for opening and closing said discharge openings substantially as clescribed.

6. A grain car comprising a box-like body having a hopper bottom, in combination with a discharge device arranged at the lowest point of said bottom and comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical member having a discharge opening, means for opening and closing said discharge opening, means to prevent grain from lodging against the closed sides of said cylindrical member, and a conical cover for said member, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. DUNN.

Witnesses:

H. A. ToWNsLEY, CARRIE B. TOWSLEY.

means for rotating one 

